A Stars and Stripes whodunit on the Rock River

Flag flies on dam in Oregon; officials stress danger of action

Published: Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013 1:15 a.m. CDT

Caption

(Earleen Hinton/Shaw News Service)

An American flag appeared Friday in the center of the Oregon dam on the Rock River. Police and fire officials said they do not know who placed the flag, but cautioned that the dam is dangerous and urged boaters and others not to venture near it.

BY VINDE WELLS
vwells@shawnews.com
Shaw News Service

OREGON – Local officials have no idea who placed an American flag on the Rock River dam in Oregon, or how they did it.

Oregon Police Chief Darin DeHaan said Tuesday that he has received no calls about the flag but noticed it there last Friday.

“Nobody mentioned seeing anyone placing it,” he said. “I don’t know if someone designed it to float down from the buoys or what.”

Oregon Fire Chief Don Heller was equally baffled.

“I don’t know [how it got there],” he said Tuesday. “It just appeared one day last week.”

The flag waves from a pole positioned at the top of the dam, near its center. It appears to be securely fastened.

O.K. Welty, owner of Rock River Outfitters, located near the dam, said he, too, doesn’t know how the flag got there.

“We posted a picture of it on our Facebook and website,” Welty said. “No one has come forward yet.”

Both DeHaan and Heller stressed the danger of getting too near the dam for any reason.